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A. L. ELLISON.

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wi-tmeooaq UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFI E,

ALPHONSO LAYFAYETTE ELLISON, OF GBEENSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA, -ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO F. N. INGOLD, OF SAME PLACE.

COMMODE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 341.135, dated May 4, 1886.

Apglication filed December 15, 1855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALPIIONSO LAYFAYEITE ELLISON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greensborongh, in the county of Guilford and State ofNorth Carolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oommodes, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanyingdrawings.

My invention has relation to improvements in commodes; and the novelty consists of the peculiar construction, combination, and arrangement of the various parts for service, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

The primary object of my invention is to provide means, in-an article of the class named, whereby all offensive odors are prevented from escaping into the room or apartment; to provide means whereby the receptacle can be readily and quickly removed, and to provide means which shall be simple, strong, and data ble in construction, thoroughly effective in operation, and cheap of manufacture.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a commode constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line m x of Fig. 3, and Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical section on the line y g of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detached detail View.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, A designates the chair to 5 which my improvement is applied, which preferaloly consists of the legs a, the back b, the arms a, and the bottom D.

My invention lies in the peculiar construc tion and arrangement of the parts of the hot- 0 tom D, which I will now proceed to describe.

The bottom comprises the side rails, (Z, to which the legs a are secured, theend rails, e, .inortised in or otherwise suitably secured to the side rails, a false removable bottom board,

5 f, and a sliding flexible cover, The side and end rails, d c, of the bottom D are provided with inwardly projecting horizontal ledges or flanges d e, and the false removable bottom f has its lower outer edges rabbeted, as

at f, and is adapted to fit snugly within the side and end rails on the ledges d e thereof,

I bottom.

the upper edge of the falsebottom.

(No model.)

which thus provide seats for said removable This bottom is provided at or near its middle with an opening, I, having chamfered edges or a circumferential ledge, 2', surrounding the same, and this ledge provides a seat for the flange of the receptacle 1, which is fitted in the opening I, and lies fiush with I The side rails are grooved longitudinally, as at d, on their inner faces, and the rear end rail c has a longitudinal slot, 6*, which extends transversely across the grooves ofthe side walls,said grooves and slot receiving and guiding the flexible sliding cover the walls'of the slot of the rear end rail being curved or rounded, as shown,

to permit of the free movement of the said cover.

The cover comprises a series of transversely arranged slats, g, which are independentlyse 7o cured to longitudinal flexible connectingstraps g", arranged at or near each end of the slats, the slats being secured to the flexible connecting-straps by means of pins 9, or other suitable fastening devices, and have their ends 7 5 cut away or'reduced to provide proj ecting lugs or studs 9, which fit and slide in the grooves d of the side rails. The ends of the slats bear against the inner vertical faces of the side rails, and the guide-lugs fit snugly in the grooves 8c without binding therein, to permit free movement of the cover, and the upper edges of the slats lie in the same plane or flush with the upper edges of the side rails, to providea bottom for the support of the person when it is closed. The front slat of the series, which comprises the flexible cover, is provided with a transverse strip, J, suitably secured thereto by nails or otherwise, and proj ectingforwardly therefrom for a suitable distance, whereby 0 when the cover is opened or closed the strip will abut against the rear or front end rails e of the bottom proper, D. This strip may be provided with a knob or handle for its convenient manipulation, and when the cover is 5 closed the strip fits snugly over the front end rail and first strip of the cover, to provide a close j oint between theparts. hen the cover is closed, the slats thereof fit closely together and prevent the escape of any obnoxious or [c0 offensive odors that may arise from the receptacle, and when it is desired to use the commode or remove the receptacle the cover is moved backward, the guide-lugs sliding in the grooves of the side rails.

The device'is very simplein construction,and possesses strength and durability. The cover is thoroughly effective for the purposes designed, and the commode can be manufactured and sold very cheaply. \Vhen the device is closed, it resembles an ordinary chair and presents a neat and attractive appearance. It can be finished or upholstered in any desired manner to suit the trade.

To conceal the receptacle-from view, the

side and end rails of the bottom proper, D, are provided with an in closing-case, L, which consists of side and end walls, Z 1, arranged below the rails, and preferably secured between the legs of the chair.

I do not desire to limit myself to the particular form of chair shown herein, as I am aware that changes therein and in the form and proportion of parts of the bottom D can be made without departing from the principle of my invention. 7

I do not claim, broadly, a commode having a receptacle suspended beneath a movable cover therefor that is arranged to conceal and expose the receptacle and provide a support for the person, but claim only the particular construction and combination of parts fully set forth in the claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a commode, a chair-bottom provided with inwardly-projecting seats (1 e and grooves (1", formed on the inner faces of the rails of said inwardly-projecting ledges d 6, located below the grooves, and its rear end rail longitudinally recessed, as at e, in combination with a false bottom provided with recessed edges to snugly rest on the ledges d e, and a central pot-hole having a lateral recess and flared edges, to adapt the upper edges of a pot and its handle to fit snugly therein and flush therewith, and a sliding cover passing through the recess 6", and comprising aseries of slats having reduced ends to fit in the grooves cl, and permanently secured to flexible connectingstrips, whereby when the bottom is closed it will wholly conceal the false bottom and the pot and lie flush with the rails of the chairbottom, to provide a support for the person, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

ALPHONSO LAYFAYET'IE ELLISON.

\Vitnesses:

J. WV. Soo'rT, M. J. SHERWOOD. 

